Exploring the Dungeon for Beginners

I took a deep breath and raised the crystal again, feeling my hand still trembling slightly.

"Thank you for everything so far, Miss Galadriel ." My voice came out firm, only on the surface.

Filna and I will carry out the mission you entrusted to us," I continued .

On the other end, I heard her calm, proud breathing.

"I entrust this mission to you two. Oh, and one more thing: there are some important items in the backpack Filna is carrying. Don't forget to check it later," he said . Galadriel .

I looked at Filna , who was adjusting the small blue backpack strapped to her shoulders.

There was something strong and determined in her gaze.

"Hey, Filna ... were you affected by the restriction magic that the Elfhrinsei placed on the Human Realm of World One?" I asked , a little apprehensive.

She frowned and thought for a moment.

— I'm going to drink a potion that's in the backpack I brought with me. After I drink it, I should recover some of my magical energy… then I can try using Teleport and Jikū . Ikan to find that out. — he replied Filna .

I nodded and watched intently as she took out a small, translucent vial and drank the golden liquid. Her body glowed faintly.

"Okay, now I'm going to test Teleport ," he said . Filna .

Filna closed her eyes, raised her hand, and focused her energy.

A white glow surrounded her feet, and in the blink of an eye, she disappeared.

He reappeared five meters behind me.

"I did it! The teleport worked!" he exclaimed with a huge smile.

I felt an unexpected relief in my chest.

— Great. Now try Jikū Ikan . — he said Filna .

Filna took a deep breath, stretched out her arms, and tried to summon the power.

Nothing happened. No glimmer. No pulse of energy.

She bit her lower lip.

"I can't..." Filna said sadly.

— Hey, Filna . — I approached slowly.

"Can you see your status? " I asked her.

She blinked, confused.

— See, what do you mean? — he asked. FILNA .

"It's a skill that this world has activated for us. Here, I'll teach you," I replied.

I demonstrated the gesture and mental activation that I learned upon arriving there.

Filna repeated, touching her fingers to her chest.

A panel of light opened up before her, visible to both of us:

Elfsei Mayumi Filna

Class: Outsider

Level: 1

Attack : 20 Defense : 15 Intelligence : 49

HP: 45  Vel : 80

Atk Mag : 95 Def Mag : 45

Ability:

Teleport — Teleports any object or living being up to ten meters away.

Filna closed the panel, breathing slowly.

— It seems I still can't use Jikū. Ikan … but I believe that when I level up, I'll unlock that ability. — he said Filna .

I crossed my arms, assessing the situation.

"I hope so. The sooner I can regain that power, the better. For now, I think we should look for a dungeon to level up," I said.

— Okay. Let's go. — Filna confirmed firmly and determinedly.

I looked at the horizon. The wind stirred the tall grass, opening a green corridor before us, as if the world itself were pushing forward.

"That's our mission now. Shana , I'm going to find you. And I'm going to discover the truth about Elfhrinsei ."

I tucked my hair behind my cropped ears and took the first step.

Finna walked beside me.

And together, we set off into the unknown.

The wind was cold as Filna and I walked, following the coordinates on the map.

The trail led to a narrow canyon, where the sun barely reached the ground.

" Onee-sama ... are you sure this is the place?" Filna asked, pressing the map against her chest.

I nodded silently.

"As much as I don't want to admit it... I'm nervous too."

" Kaiou said there was a beginner's dungeon in this area," I murmured as I surveyed the immense stone gate ahead.

"If it really is a low-level dungeon , it might be the best place for us to start," I said confidently.

Filna observed the gate darkened by the shadow of the cliff.

"Even so, I feel a bad chill," she whispered , almost in a stifled sob.

I ran my hand through his hair.

"No matter how frightening it seems, we can't stop here. If we're going to face Elfhrinsei one day, we need to get stronger," I replied in a low voice.

We went in.

The air was thick and humid, and the ground was covered in pulsating moss.

" Onee-sama ... look over there." Filna pointed to the center of the entrance hall.

An ancient-looking chest, surrounded by glowing runes.

I sighed.

"An obvious trap."

I picked up a stone from the ground and threw it.

Nothing happened.

I played a second time.

Silence.

"It looks normal," said Filna , tilting her head.

I closed my eyes.

"That's exactly what makes it dangerous," I said.

I gathered some energy and threw a larger rock at the chest.

This time, the ground shook.

The chest lids opened grotesquely, revealing teeth and a mouth covered in acidic saliva; a giant carnivorous plant leaped out, growling like a hungry animal.

— FILNA, BACK UP!! — I yelled , pulling her back.

The creature lunged forward quickly, but my clones appeared and blocked the attack for a few seconds.

"Damn... this isn't a beginner's dungeon . This is an extermination trap."

I managed to lead us to a side corridor, where the light from blue crystals dimly illuminated the path.

We stood in silence, catching our breath.

" Onee-sama ... this dungeon is very dangerous. What if all the students come in here thinking it's easy?" Filna said, with genuine fear in her voice.

I clenched my fists.

"That's precisely why I need to act fast."

"If anyone comes in thinking this is a joke... they're going to die," I muttered .

"I won't allow that," I said firmly.

The sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway.

Filna's eyes widened.

"Someone's coming!" he said. Filna .

I pulled her behind a pillar and we silenced our presence.

Two figures emerged from the darkness.

Koharu and Fujimoto .

"My heart ached when I saw him. He still seems lost..."

They stopped, tense, observing their surroundings.

— Filna , listen. — I whispered

" Fujimoto and Koharu have no idea what's really inside this dungeon . If they continue, they'll die. I need to get them out of here, even if I'm scared," I explained to her.

"So... are you going to talk to them?" she asked anxiously.

I shook my head negatively.

"No. That would only make them insist more. I need to seem like a real threat. They need to believe this place is hell," I replied.

I took a deep breath and activated the coldest, most inhuman voice I could muster.

I entered the main hall and let my footsteps echo.

The blue light reflected off the ground as I walked slowly.

"Where are you hiding...?" I said.

My voice echoed like icy blades.

Filna watched in silence, motionless.

"I know you're here. And no matter where you hide... I'm going to kill you both: Fujimoto and Koharu ." He smiled with forced coldness.

Each syllable came out like poison.

But inside, my chest was burning.

"I'm sorry, Fujimoto . I'm sorry, Koharu . If you don't run away now, this dungeon will kill you. I won't let that happen."

I waited for several long seconds.

No response.

No steps.

They had fled.

" Excellent."

I turned around, taking a deep breath to ease the pain in my chest.

" Onee-sama ... you're trembling," Filna noticed.

I forced a smile.

"I'm fine. Let's level up and get out of here before someone actually dies," I replied.

And we walked towards the depths of darkness.

Without looking back.

We walked to the first open room.

In the center, three small, rounded creatures swayed like jelly— blue slimes .

" Level 1 slimes ," I muttered.

"Perfect for testing," I said with a smile on my face.

Filna took a deep breath.

" Onee-sama ... may I try to help?" he asked. Filna .

I agreed.

Filna stretched out her hands, concentrating her energy around a small stone on the ground.

The stone glowed and disappeared, teleported directly into the gelatinous body of the slime .

The internal impact exploded the creature from the inside out.

"I did it!!" Filna exclaimed, beaming.

Smile.

"Very good. Using teleportation to attack from within... that's a great strategy," I praised her.

The two remaining slimes moved forward.

I created three clones, which ran ahead to block, while I jumped to the side.

My energy blades pierced through the creatures, which dissolved into light.

A golden aura enveloped us.

LEVEL UP

Yumi — Level 4

Filna — Level 2

Filna smiled with pride.

"I really did it! I can fight too, Onee-sama !" she said. Smiling, Filna .

I ran my hand through his hair.

"Of course you can. Never doubt yourself," I told her.

The corridor stretched before us, illuminated by blue crystals embedded in the walls. The cool light cast long shadows dancing beneath our feet.

" Onee-sama ... the air is getting heavier," Filna murmured, clenching her fingers into the fabric of my dress.

I nodded slowly.

"Yes. That means there's something stronger waiting for us ahead." I tried to keep my voice steady.

"Since we were little, we've faced dangers worse than this... monsters, stalkers, entire nights spent running to survive. None of this is new."

But this dungeon ... had something different about it.

A strange, magical pulse echoed through the walls, almost like a beating heart.

We turned the corner in the last lap.

And then we saw him.

A giant wolf, covered in pitch-black fur, with intense red eyes and fangs as long as daggers.

His name shone in runes above him:

《 Garm — Level 8 》

"A Garm ...? In a beginner's dungeon ?!" Filna exclaimed, shocked.

The monster growled, scratching the ground with its claws.

" Onee-sama ... what do we do?" Filna whispered.

I took a deep breath and planted my feet firmly on the ground.

"We fought. And we won," I replied.

Garm roared and charged forward like lightning.

— FILNA, RIGHT! — I shouted.

We rolled to opposite sides, the ground exploding where he landed.

I raised my hand.

CLONING!!

Three copies of me have emerged, the maximum my body allows right now.

They scattered, surrounding the spiraling monster.

Garm hesitated for a second, confused.

It was the perfect opportunity.

— FILNA! ABOVE HIS HEAD!! — I yelled, instructing.

My sister raised her arm, concentrating her energy until the air vibrated.

— TELEPORT!

A huge rock disappeared from the corner of the room and reappeared directly above the monster's skull.

"Now!" I shouted .

The rock crashed down with brutal force, hitting Garm squarely and causing him to stagger in disorientation.

My copies rushed forward, immobilizing the monster for a few seconds.

I jumped with all my might, aiming for the exposed nape of her neck.

"End it!!" he shouted. Filna .

I struck with all the accumulated energy.

A howl gurgled from Garm 's throat before he collapsed heavily, motionless.

Absolute silence.

The blue light from the crystals reflected on the dust-covered floor.

Filna took a deep breath, with a huge smile.

" Onee-sama ... we did it!" Her voice was a mixture of relief and restrained emotion .

I placed my hand on her head, stroking it with pride.

"You fought very well. I'm proud of you," I said happily.

She blushed slightly, wiping away a cold sweat.

— Hehe … I only did what I could. — he said Filna .

A golden glow enveloped us, particles of light rising around our bodies.

"We've leveled up!" Filna exclaimed, smiling for the first time since we arrived.

But my expression remained serious.

Further ahead, in the darkness, another roar echoed, deeper, more profound, like something much larger.

Filna froze.

"O- Onee - sama ... this doesn't look like beginner level..." said Filna .

I closed my eyes, feeling the weight of the energy emanating from the depths.

"If we move forward now, we die," he said . Filna .

I nodded firmly.

"Let's retreat. We've gained enough experience for today," I said.

We left in a hurry, without looking back.

As we reached the light at the exit, I felt a shiver run down my spine.

When we reached the outdoors, the afternoon breeze blew strong and refreshingly, almost as if the world breathed a sigh of relief along with us.

And for the first time since I returned to World One, I felt hope.